Mothers Day 2015

Family Legacy Photoshoot

The Publishing House, Kutztown PA

05.14.2015

“As the matriarchs of the family legacy, women have a unique role in the family. They are the stewards of life’s true wealth and often the keepers of the family’s core values. Women want to be remembered for their values. They want to pass on a legacy of what really matters, which goes far deeper than assets and tangible objects.”-Kristan Wojnar

Mother’s Day can be seen as a hallmark holiday, one that is often regarded in today’s society with an obligatory phone call or lunch date. It’s easy to stop by the local grocery store and pick up a generic card and some flowers, but I feel that the easiest gifts are the ones most quickly forgotten.

As a photographer, my initial reaction to this holiday was to search for photographs of my mother and I. What I realized upon asking others if they also had photos with their mothers is how rare it is for mom to be in front of the camera. She’s always the one taking the photo, or worse yet she will shy away from the lens because she doesn’t feel that she looks her best, and so there is a gap in family documentation and women have no photos of them beyond childhood with their mothers. This year, I decided to collaborate with some incredible women to put together a shoot that invited matriarchs into a warm and inviting space full of pretty treats and flowers and mimosas in their hands as they had their hair and makeup done together. It was a day for women by women, and it couldn’t have been more beautiful. I watched grandma tear up as she held her granddaughter sitting right next to her own daughter who was once that little. They all laughed and held one another and my job became merely documenting the interactions that were already there. The power of three generations brought together to honor their family legacy through portraits was such a gift. You can see it in their eyes, how magical it is to hug the two other most important women in your life. Our days move faster than ever before and we are consumed with technology, so it’s these moments that bring us back to what’s important. We hope you will join us next Mother’s Day as we continue the tradition of celebrating women, mothers, and beauty.